Automatic firearm

ABSTRACT

A firearm which utilizes the recoil of the explosion to automatically bring a new cartridge into position in the firing chamber and to discharge the spent cartridge. The loading mechanism includes a slide member having fingers which grip the rim of the cartridge and a cam means carried by the frame of the firearm and utilizing the rearward sliding motion between the slide member and the frame to produce upward movement of the cartridge from the magazine to the loading area and to produce alignment of the cartridge with the firing chamber of the firearm so that upon forward return movement of the slide member the cartridge is positioned in the firing chamber ready for firing.

United States Patent [191 Dunn Jan. 29, 1974 AUTOMATIC FIREARM [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Kenneth H. Dunn, 111 NE. 27th P B 3 6 St Ompano each Fla 30 O A firearm WhlCh utilizes the recoil of the explosion to Filed! P 2 automatically bring a new cartridge into position in the firing chamber and to discharge the spent car- [21] Appl' 242346 tridge. The loading mechanism includes a slide member having fingers which grip the rim of the cartridge [52] US. Cl. 89/196 and a cam means carried by the frame of the firearm [51] Int. Cl. .t F4lc 5/06 and utilizing the rearward sliding motion between the Field Of Search 89/33 197 slide member and the frame to produce upward movement of the cartridge from the magazine to the load- [56] References Cited ing area and to produce alignment of the cartridge UNITED STATES PATENTS with the firing chamber of the firearm so that upon 3 563 132 2/1971 Cashen et al. 89/33 BB forward return movement Slide member the 2:342:283 2/1944 Hyde H tridge is positioned in the firing chamber ready for fir- 2,364,510 12/1944 Bertran et al 89/34 g Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Hauke, Gifford, Patalidis & 5 Chums 8 Drawmg Flgures Dumont Z8 38 .?9 m; f l /4 lo I! I Y7 C \i 4 Z26 Z /Z AUTOMATIC FIREARM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to firearms and more particularly to a new loading mechanism for such firearms.

2. Description of the Prior Art Automatic firearms, such as pistols or the like, commonly operate by utilizing the explosion gases created upon firing to move a slide member rearwardly against the force of a recoil spring. This rearward movement is used to extract and to eject the spent cartridge and to open the loading area to the magazine so that the magazine spring can move the next cartridge up through the opening of the magazine into the loading area. When the recoil spring returns the slide member to its forward position, the cartridge is captured and moved into the firing chamber of the firearm.

Such firearms have a tendency to jam. This can result from either the spent cartridge or the live cartridge becoming wedged between the fixed and the sliding members. It can occur by reason of the ejector mechanism not working properly so that the spent cartridge is not moved out of the firing chamber quickly enough. It can be caused by the live cartridge not being properly positioned upon the slide member being returned to the firing position.

Further, the extended travel of the slide member necessary to produce the automatic loading action in conventional firearms of this type produces a recoil which severely interferes with the accuracy of the weapon, es-

pecially in the hands of the inexperienced.

' There is a need for an automatic weapon in which there is a positive transfer of the cartridge from the magazine to the firing chamber and to ejection so as to avoid jamming. Further, it would be desirable if the recoil of an automatic weapon could be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is directed to an automatic firearm which utilizes the recoil of the weapon to eject the spent projectile or cartridge and to deliver the next projectile or cartridge from the magazine to a firing position. Unlike previous firearms of this nature, however, the magazine spring is not relied upon to move the cartridge up into the loading area. Instead, the mag azine spring moves the cartridge upwardly between a pair of fingers which grip the rim of the cartridge. A camming action between the slide member and the frame translates relative sliding movement between these members'to an upward movement of the cartridge until the cartridge is brought into the loading area. A second cam surface coacts with the fingers to bring the cartridge into alignment with the firing chamber as it is being moved upwardly.

Further positively gripping the cartridge and camming it toward the firing chamber introduces a frictional drag into the sliding action which reduces recoil and which permits virtual elimination of the harsh re coil action common in automatic weapons. The loading mechanism and relative position to the magazine and the weapon does not require a stroke as long as is required in conventional weapons, which also makes possible a significant reduction in the length of the firearm without diminishing the overall barrel length.

The cartridge remains captured by the fingers even during firing so that the spent cartridge is extracted from the barrel upon rearward movement of the slide member. The spent cartridge is ejected from the weapon by the next live cartridge being moved by the camming action into firing position.

As will become more apparent as the description of the present invention proceeds, the utilization of the recoil action of the firearm to positively move the cartridge into firing position and to eject the spent cartridge virtually eliminates jamming.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A betterunderstanding of the present invention will be achieved upon reference to the following drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and :in which:

FIG. I is an elevational side view of an automatic pistol embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, fragmentary exploded view illustrating portions of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the firearm in the firing position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the spent cartridge being removed from the firing chamber;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrating the next cartridge being moved into the firing position;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 6 and with portions cut away for purposes of clarity; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion I of the structure shown in FIGS. 4-6 with portions removed for purposes of clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention, a pistol 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 as comprising a frame 12, a slide member 14 and a barrel 16.

The frame 112 carries grips 18 (FIG. 1) and as can best be seen in FIGS. 2-5 is hollow to carry a tubular magazine 20..The magazine 20 is of conventional con struction and is designed to carry a plurality of projectiles or cartridges 22 and to deliver the cartridges 22, one at a time, through'the top of the magazine 20. As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the lowermost cartridge 22 rests on a follower member 24 and is urged upwardly by a spring 26. I

Also as is conventional in automatic weapons, the slide member 14 is moved rearwardly with respect to the barrel lb and the frame 12 when a cartridge is fired by the firing mechanism 28 illustrated in FIG. 3. This rearward movement of the slide member 14 is caused by the reaction forces produced by the explosion of the propellant and is against a recoil spring (not shown), which returns the slide member 14 to the forward position when the spring overcomes the force of the recoil.

FIG. 3 illustrates the slide member 14 in position for firing. A cartridge 22a is in a firing chamber 29 ready to be fired by firing mechanism 28 upon actuation of a trigger 30 (FIG. l). The next cartridge 22b has been moved upwardly by the-magazine spring 26 to a position in which the rim 32 of the cartridge 22b is captured between guide fingers 34 which are best shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, but is separated from a loading area 31 (FIGS. 4-5 by the slide member 14. The fingers 34 are mounted to the slide member 14 as by a pin 35 (FIG. 6) so that gripping portions 36 coactto provide a trackfor receiving opposite sides of the rims 32 of the cartridges 22. 7

After the cartridge 22a has been fired, the slide member 14 moves'rearwardly through the position shown in FIG. 4 and to the position shown in FIG. 5, with the gripping portion 36 of the fingers 34 acting as extractors to remove the spent shell22a from the firing chamber 29 and to bring it to a position below an ejector opening 38 formed inthe slide member 14.

' As can best beseen in FIGS. 2-5, a cam member 40 is fixedly mountedto the frame 12 as by a pin 41 and includes an upper cam surface 42 extending through a slot 43 (FIG.'6) formed in the slide member 14. As can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, the fingers 34 are formed ofa U-sh aped'mernber having a base45 mounted to the slide member 14 by thepin 35. The cam 40 also extends-through a slot 44 formed in the base 45 so that the ca m surface 42, is positioned between the fingers 34 as best seen in'FIG. 6 so that as the slide member 14 moves'rearwardly the rim 32 of the cartridge 22 moves along the cam surface 42 to move the cartridge 22b up along the trackdefined by the fingers 34 and to move the spent cartridge 22a out the ejector opening 38, as best seen in FIG. 5.. As can best be seen in FIG. 8, the

cartridge 22'is being moved upwardly into the loading I area 31 and brings the cartridge22toa horizontal posi tionali'gnedwith the firingchamber 29.

As can best'be seen inFI G. 5, movement of the cart ridg e 22b to the loading position displaces the cartridge 22a'fr'om the fingers 34 and ejects the cartridge 22a'outwardlythrough the ejector opening 38.

As can best be seen in FIG. 7, the fingers 34 are prov'idednear their upper ends with inwardly projecting portions 52 which form a restriction as against further upward movement of the cartridge 22. This restriction performs several functions. First, it delays ejection of the cartridge 22, until the restriction has been overcome so that the cartridge 22 is ineffect snapped out of the ejector "opening 38. This discourages jamming as caused by insufficient 'ejectionJSecondly; the restric- A ramp 54 is-formed on the slide member 14 defining i the rear of the ejector opening 38. This further discour- After the cartridge 22a-has been ejected, the recoil.

spring (not shown) then returns the slide member 14 to the firing'position shown in FIG. 3. This forward movement of the slide member 14 moves the properly positioned 'cartrid'ge 22 directly into the firing chamber 29 readyfor firing, closes the ejector opening 38 and separates the loading area 31 from the next cartridge 22 in the magazine. 1

Theloading mechanism of the present invention then provides a positive positioning of the cartridge 22 inthe slide member l4 isalsoprovided with a cam surface 50 v which engages the face 33 of the'cartridge 22 as the and a rearward position, said magazine being angularly' inclined with respect to said barrel, the improvementtion acts as astop to properly locate the cartridge 22 I beingrnoved into the firing position.

firing chamber 290i the firearm. From the time .the cartridge 22 leaves the magazine 20 it is firmly gripped by the loading mechanism and is moved to a position where it is properly aligned with the firing chamber 29 so that there is little danger of jamming as the slide member 14 is'returned toj firing position. Unlike other automatic loading systems, the cartridge 22 cannot be marred or damaged as it is moved into the firing chamber 29. This is especially important in target shooting because even slight damage to the cartridge can affect true accuracy of the weapon. 1

Also, the camming action and the mass'added to the slide member 14 in the form of the positively gripped cartridges 22 introduces frictional and inertial forces on the slide member 14 which tend to reduce the recoil and to smooth out the recoil action. l

Further, the particular loading mechanism and barrel position substantially reduces the sliding movement necessary to accomplish automatic loadin'g'and'this reduces the necessary length of the weapon. Although it has been preferred to describe the present invention as being embodied. in an automatic pistol,

it is apparent that vit could be embodiedin othermanual'.

comprising: 1

said barrel having a portion extending rearward past said magazine, finger elements carried by said slide member for receiving a cartridge carried in said magazine, said finger elements being dimensioned to receive two of said cartridges at one time, said magazine having a spring urging'sai'd cartridges out of said magazine and into gripping engagement with said' fingers, an ejector opening which'jopens-upon rearward sliding movement of saidslide member, a first cam member carried by said frame member andoperable upon rearward movement of said slide member to urge the cartridge separated from "said magazine upwardlytoeject one of said cartridges through said ejector opening and to bring the other of said c'artridges into said firing chamber, I 'a second cam member. operable to guide said cartridge upwardly between said fingers from a posiposition in which said second cam is disposed intermediate. said fingers.

3. The pistol as defined in claim 1 and including a ramp defining the rear edge of said ejector opening.

4. The pistol as defined in claim 1 and in which said finger elements guide the spent cartridge toward said UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIN Patent No. 3,788,190 Dated January 29, 1974 inventor(s) Kenneth H. Dunn It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 50, after "a" insert -magazine.

Column 3, line 19, after "cam", insert -member-;

line 20, after "44-", insert (FIG. 7) -7 line 48, after "54" insert (FIG. 2)-;

line 65, after "magazine", insert --20--.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON," JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents F ORM PO-IOSO (10-69) USCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 us GOVERNMENT FRINTING OFFICE: I969 o-ass-sn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 788, 190 Dated January 29, 1974 Inventor(s) Kenneth H. Dunn It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 50, after "a", insert -magazine-.

Column 3, line 19, after "cam", insert --member--:

Iine 20, after "44", insert --(FIG; 7) -7 line 48, after "54", insert -(FIG. 2)--;

Tina 65, after "magazine", insert -2 O--.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050(10 69) USCOMM DC 5o376 p59 0.5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING orncs; 1959 o-ass-au 

1. An automatic pistol having a firing chamber and including a frame, a magazine carried by said frame, a barrel carried on said frame and a slide member carried by said frame and movable between a forward position and a rearward position, said magazine being angularly inclined with respect to said barrel, the improvement comprising: said barrel having a portion extending rearward past said magazine, finger elements carried by said slide member for receiving a cartridge carried in said magazine, said finger elements being dimensioned to receive two of said cartridges at one time, said magazine having a spring urging said cartridges out of said magazine and into gripping engagement with said fingers, an ejector opening which opens upon rearward sliding movement of said slide member, a first cam member carried by said frame member and operable upon rearward movement of said slide member to urge the cartridge separated from said magazine upwardly to eject one of said cartridges through said ejector opening and to bring the other of said cartridges into said firing chamber, a second cam member operable to guide said cartridge upwardly between said fingers from a position in alignment with said magazine to a position in alignment with said barrel.
 2. The pistol as defined in claim 1 and in which said second cam is disposed intermediate said fingers.
 3. The pistol as defined in claim 1 and including a ramp defining the rear edge of said ejector opening.
 4. The pistol as defined in claim 1 and in which said finger elements guide the spent cartridge toward said ejector opening.
 5. The weapon as defined in claim 1 and in which said first cam member comprises a cam surface formed on said frame in the path of movement of said slide member and engageable with said cartridge. 